Water cooler



June 19, 1934. J. A. WARREN 1,963,570

WATER COOLER Filed Deo. 23, 1927r 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JosErH A. WARREN.

lax/W@ A TTORA'EYS.

June 19, 1934. jq A, WARREN 41,963,570

WATER COOLER Filed Deo. 23, 192'! 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Zge.

IN VEAy TOR.

lax/Wg@ ATTORNEYS.

JosEPH A. WARREN.

June 19, 1934. J. A. WARREN Y 1,963,570 l WATER COOLER f Filed Dec. 2:5, 1927 5 Sheets-sheet 3 JOSEPH AWARREN.

Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating *apparatus and particularly to such apparatus in portable form for cooling water or other liquids, and has` for its object the provision of a simplevand cheap form of cooler wherein the mechanism is easily accessible.

Another object is to provide an operating mechanism for refrigerating apparatus wherein the compressor, commonly called the pump, and the motor are direct connected and many of the parts heretofore mounted separately are assembled together to form a unit easily removable as a whole from .the casing enclosing them.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one form of thevdevice taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a view .partly in section of the low side.

Figure 2 is aview partly in section ofthe high side. f Figures land 2 taken'together present a View partly in section of a complete cooler embodying this invention.

Figure 3 is a view partly in section through anv alternate construction of the liquid container and evaporator, the low side of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the end plate of a'pump showing a novel method of mounting the 'strainer' and vcheck valve of a refrigerating system.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a base to which is secured to sheet metal casing 2, having an opening or door (not shown)v permitting access to 'its interior and of such size as to allow the removal of the entire machine unit hereinafter described.

Secured to the vcasing 2-are the supports 3 and 4 of angle iron or the like. These need not extend-completely around the inside 'of the casing, but may be cut away in part to .allow the plates 5 and 6 supporting 'the machine unit to pass upwards or downwards vby .axially turning the same, the edges of these .plates or supports being cut away or castelled to pass .the outwardly VYextending portions of supports 3 and4. Between -these supports Ais placed the rubber or other resilient members 7 and V8, whereby vibrations of the Ymachine zunit are kept from passing kto the casing 2.

Connecting-the supports 5 and 6 are the verti- -caLmembers 9.and10fsecured to the supports in any suitable manner and v.upon .these members the electric motoror other suitable .source vof .power 11, `and the compressoror pump, A(the com- (Cl. (i2-115) plete assembly of which is indicated bythe numeral 12) are mounted. The pump shown is of the. rotary vane type, but any suitable type of pump may be used. If an electric motor is used it may be of any suitable construction Such as lthe type shown in Fig. 2 having the usual end plates 11a, 11b. Such motors are ordinarily sold complete ready for operation and may be bolted or otherwise attached to lthe upright 19, as shown in Figure v2, and may be removed and replaced $5 on the said upright without disassembling the end plates of the motor.

The shafts of the pump vand motor are axially aligned andconnected by any suitable meanssuch as the usual flexible coupling 13, the shaft of the pump passing through a suitable gland or stuffing box 14 whereby the liquid or gaseous contents of the pump are prevented from'nding egress.

A suitablercondenser 15 is positioned above the opening 16 in support or platev 6 and mounted 7 thereon. The plate -closes 01T the :upper portion Aof casing 2 from the lower portion except for .the .opening 16.

The support or plate 5 like 6 forms a partition in the casing 2, and is apertured at 17 and :SQ rthe fan 18 is positioned therein, this fan being :operated by the motor V1-1 or a separate fan motor may be employed.

When in operation this fan draws air through vthe apertures 1.9 in casing 2 downward across or 8.5 .through plate 6 (which acts as a partition sepalfrom the oor-bymeans of vfeet20, as shown.

The lforegoing arrangementinsures (while the Ymachine .is in operation) a constant `flow of air over the surface of the condenser 15 which is 9,5 the part to be cooled rst to insure the highest eiiiciency and further insures that the cooling blast of air will pass over the pump and motor, a forced vdraft being secured overall parts as distinguished from a mere churning or stirring up lVOO of the air within the casing 2. Further the necessity of employing a separate motor for the f an `as is done when the fan is differently positioned, is obviated.

The .foregoing parts are commonly termed the Y high side and constitute a yunit assembly which may include Acheck and expansion -valves hereinafter referred to.

Mounted upon .the top of casing 2 is the low side comprising the liquid container, evaporator and thermostat. These parts are mounted upon a casing 21 secured to casing 2 by screws, one of which is shown at 22 or in any other suitable manner. Within 21 is the insulating lining 23 such as cork or the like. On the inside of this lining is the wall 24.

Within the chamber 25 formed by the wall 24 is the evaporator 26 through which the cooling is accomplished. Chamber 25 is filled through opening 2'? with any suitable liquid or brine mixture to surround the evaporator and absorb heat from the liquid container 28 immersed therein.

A coil of pipe 29 may be interposed between container 28 and the usual faucet outlet 30 and as this coil is immersed in the brine additional cooling surface is secured.

The usual inverted bottle 31 may be placed in the top of 28 as shown so that the contents thereof will replenish the liquid in 28 as fast as drawn off. As this arrangement is old it is not described in detail.

The thermostat well 32 may project into a cavity in the chamber 28 and the thermostat 33 may be positioned therein, the space in 32 being lled with oil or the like to afford good conduction so that the thermostat will operate quickly in accordance with the temperature of 28.

The continuity between the outside metal casing 21 and inner wall 24 is broken at 21a by means of an insulating strip of any suitable character. This prevents heat by conduction from the casing 2l entering into the interior of the device, Via 24.

In Figure 3 is shown a modification of the low side shown in Figure 2. Here the liquid container 28a is preferably of porcelain or steel enameled, removably positioned within the chamber 25. This is accomplished by bringing pipe 33a up through the bottom of the container 28a as shown, and securing the container thereto by means of nut 34 provided with the rubber gasket 35. The top of 28a is supported by the rubber gasket 36 which prevents conduction from the casing 21. The method of removing 28a from the assembly for cleaning or replacement is obvious.

Figure 3 also shows a method of mounting the thermostat (which may be of any suitable type) so it will respond directly to the temperature of the liquid in 28a. This is accomplished by providing the T 37 in which the thermostat 33 is mounted as shown. This T also connects with spigot 30. By this arrangement the thermostat is always directly in contact with the liquid to be cooled and will therefore accurately control the temperature thereof by controlling the operation of the motor in the usual manner.

Referring to Fig. 4, an arrangement is illustrated for effecting a considerable saving in manufacturing cost. In the machine of Fig. 1, reference has been made to the strainer 46 and check valve 48 as separate units. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated an end plate 12b of a pump having a longitudinally extending chamber in which is located the cylindrical strainer 46a, the chamber communicating with the return pipe 45 from the evaporator chamber 26. Communicating with the strainer chamber is a second or vertically disposed chamber in which is located the movable element 48a of a check valve. The strainer and check valve may be of any of the well known constructions for although housed in the end plate of the pump their respective functions are identical with the function of each now well known in the refrigeration art.

In operation any suitable refrigerant and refrigerating cycle may be employed.

The motor being connected in the usual manner in series with the thermostat and a source of power and the device being properly charged with a suitable refrigerant the pump 12 will discharge compressed refrigerant gas Via pipe 38 into the chamber 39 which may be filled with lubricant to the line 40. The gas now passes via pipe 41 to condenser 15 where, owing to the cooling action of the air upon the condenser it lquenes, and then passes via pipe 42 to the expansion valve 43 of any suitable type. Here the liquid refrigerant begins to expand, it passes via pipe 44 (preferably covered) to the evaporator 26.

In the evaporator the refrigerant absorbs heat from the brine in 25, which in turn absorbs heat from the liquid to be cooled in 28; the refrigerant in 26 will continue to flow via pipe 45 through the usual strainer 46, via pipe 47 to the usual check Valve 48, via pipe 49 to the suction side of the pump where it is recompressed and proceeds to continue its cycle of operations, as just described. This action continues until a certain temperature is reached which causes the thermostat 33 to open its'contacts thereby stopping the motor.

When the low side warms up to the point where the thermostat closes its contacts, the motor will again operate and repeat the cycle just described.

Lubrication of the pump is accomplished by reason of the pressure existing in the upper part of 39 forcing the lubricant through 40a, into the pump where it seals as well as lubricates the same. Because of the vertical arrangement of the parts the stuffing box 14 is below the body of lubricant at 40 and is sealed at all times. The motor bearings may be lubricated in any suitable manner.

Modifications may be made in the arrangement and location of parts within the spirit and scope of my invention and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a base adapted to support the following parts, a casing secured to said base and forming the outer casing for the apparatus, a supporting framework removably mounted within said outer casing and supported therein at its upper and lower ends and adapted to be removed therefrom as a unit, refrigerating mechanism wholly supported by said framework and removable therewith including a condenser, an electric motor removably secured to said framework and removable therefrom as a unit, a fan driven by said motor to cause air to pass over said condenser, an evaporator within said casing, and a liquid container within said evaporator spaced apart therefrom and supported by said casing.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a base adapted to support the following parts, a casing secured to said base and forming the outer casing for the apparatus, a supporting framework removably mounted within said outer casing and supported therein at its upper and lower ends and adapted to be removed therefrom as a unit, said framework including an apertured plate, refrigerating mechanism wholly supported by said framework and removable therewith including a condenser mounted upon said plate, an electric motor removably secured to said framework and removable therefrom as a unit, a fan driven by said motor to cause air to pass through said apertured plate and over said condenser, an evaporator within said casing, and a liquid container within said evaporator spaced apart therefrom and supported by said casing.

3. In a refrigerating device having a casing, a high side mechanism and supporting frame therefor removable from said casing as a unit including a condenser, a pump, a motor having end plates independent of said frame whereby said motor is removable from said frame as a unit, a cooling fan driven by said motor, a low side mechanism supported within said casing including an evaporator and a liquid container, and means for connecting said high and low sides in operative relation.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus having a base and a casing supported thereby, a framework having a base and a top plate and vertical supports therebetween forming a unit structure adapted to be mounted Within said casing, means for circulating refrigerant carried by said unit structure, resilient means between said unit structure and said casing to prevent vibrations from said circulating means being transmitted to the latter, and an evaporator in said casing in uid connection with said circulating means.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus having an outer casing and a base supporting the same, a support within the casing comprising a plate having an opening therein, members secured to said plate and removable therewith from said outer casing as a unit, a pump and motor secured to said members, a condenser secured to said support and removable from said apparatus therewith, and a fan driven by said motor for causing air to circulate through the opening in said plate and over the condenser.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus, a cylindrical tank forming an evaporator, and a liquid container removably mounted within the central space of the evaporator having a draw-01T connection extending therefrom so as to pass radially through the plane of the Wall of said evaporator without extending through the wall of the evaporator.

7. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing forming a chamber, an evaporator adapted to hold a liquid refrigerant positioned within said chamber and spaced apart from the inner Walls thereof, and a liquid container removably positioned within said evaporator, and adapted to form a closure for the chamber insaid casing.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing forming a chamber, an evaporator adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant within said chamber and spaced apart from the inner Walls thereof, a liquid within said chamber adapted to be cooled by said evaporator and surrounding the same, and a liquid container forming a closure for the chamber in said casing immersed in said liquid and spaced apart from said evaporator and the inner walls of said chamber and in heat transfer relation to said evaporator through said liquid.

9. A refrigerating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, in which the liquid container is made of vitreous material removably positioned Within said casing and supported thereby.

10. In a refrigerating apparatus, a casing forming a chamber, an evaporator adapted to hold a liquid refrigerant positioned within said chamber and spaced apart from the inner walls thereof, a liquid container positioned within lsaid evaporator,v a pipe connected to said container and having coils Within said chamber, and a drawolf connection to said pipe extending through 10b' -said casing.y

11. In a refrigerating apparatus a casing forming a chamber having inner Walls, an evaporator within said chamber spaced apart from the inner walls thereof, a liquid container within the evaporator and spaced apart therefrom, a pipe communicating with the bottom of said container and extending through said casing, and means cooperating with said container and pipe whereby the container is readily removable from said evaporator and casing substantially as described.

JOSEPH A. WARREN. 

